Parcel delivery companies, such as “UNITED PARCEL SERVICE, maintain computerized shipping records for the purposes of tracking parcels. Traditionally, a shipping customer obtains tracking information by calling a customer service representative, who accesses his or her company's computer system and relays the requested information to the customer. Package shipping records are manually keyed into a company's computer system from parcel shipping forms, which are completed by customers. Thus, to provide an interface between parcel delivery companies and customers, this method of shipping and tracking parcels requires the use of key entry operators and customer service representatives. Consequently, the method is both labor intensive and costly. Moreover, the method can be frustrating for customers when no customer service representative is immediately available to provide needed information.
More recently, parcel delivery companies have developed for large customers tracking software that operates in a personal computer environment. The tracking software permits customers to directly access a delivery company's computer system and obtain needed information. Thus, customers with a personal computer and the tracking software no longer need to interact with a customer service representative every time information is required. Accordingly, the tracking software permits delivery companies to operate more efficiently because fewer customer service representatives are needed.
Parcel delivery companies have similarly developed shipping software for customers. The shipping software allows customers to enter their shipping records into personal computers, from where the records are uploaded to the delivery company's computer system. Accordingly, the shipping records no longer need to be manually keyed into the delivery company's computer system. Further, the shipping software prints machine readable parcel labels that allow the parcels to be machine sorted, which is both more efficient and more accurate. Thus, the shipping software, along with the tracking software, permits parcel delivery companies to provide shipping customers with improved, more efficient service.
Typically, however, only large volume shipping customers can take advantage of such shipping and tracking software. This is because small volume shipping customers, which are mostly small businesses, may lack the required personal computer system, the desire to allocate resources to purchase such a system, and/or the expertise to operate the software. Accordingly, small volume shipping customers must rely on the traditional method if shipping and tracking parcels. As a consequence, parcel delivery companies must provide key entry operators and customer service representatives as an interface with small volume shipping customers.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for a system for, and method of, providing small volume shipping customers with direct access to a parcel delivery company's computer system. The method and system should be affordable and intuitive.